RUTENDO CHIRUME
CHIVI- An unidentified Chivi armed robber left a reign of terror in Chivi District after ransacking six homesteads taking cash and cellphones in one night.
Masvingo Provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the robberies and said a manhunt has been launched to arrest the culprit.
Inspector Dhewa encouraged people to form WhatsApp groups in their respective communities that they can use to alert each other in times of emergencies.
“These series of robberies were committed in one night and some of the houses are closer to each other.
“Had it been that these people were communicating with each other, one of them could have alerted others and the thief would have been trapped and apprehended,” said Inspector Dhewa.
Inspector Dhewa said on January 14 at around 2100 hours, Apolonia Chimbanda from Chihamure Village under Headman Madzivire was sleeping in her bedroom hut when she heard a knock on the door.
Before she could attend to the door, the accused, who is at large, broke the door and entered the room before demanding for cash.
Chimbanda surrendered her cellphone and US$10.
After that he went on to Nduna 2 Village which is also under Headman Madzivire and broke the door at Chiedza Tafirenyika’s homestead where he also demanded cash.
He was given US$30 and R600.
His third robbery was at Shingirirai Mutombeni’s homestead which is 100 metres away from Tafirenyika’s.
Likewise, he demanded cash and was given R1000.
His fourth robbery was committed at around 1am in Gugwe Village under Headman Gororo where he broke into Rudo Gozhera’s home and got away with R200 and US$1.
His last two robberies were committed around 3am in Mutatarikwa Village under Chief Shindi at Tsungirirai Buzura and Perfect Mesa’s homestead where he used a machete to threaten the complainant who surrendered R10, US$40 and R200 respectively.
The following day all six complainants reported their respective misfortunes to the police.
